Eli Paxton was hired to provide security for a high-priced yearling worth millions of dollars while the owners were preparing for the Keeneland Summer Sale near Lexington, Kentucky. While undercover, Eli met a young groomsman that he bonded with during the next few days, and who suddenly disappeared on the most important day of the sale.

While some say a number of grooms recently left for various reasons, Eli wasn’t buying it. He knew how dedicated Tony was. Also, another groom from the same stable left in the same manner a month ago – Tony was his replacement. When Eli went to supper, Tony was fine. An hour later he was upset, but told Eli he would talk to him in the morning. Unfortunately, he disappeared before the two could talk.

Eli’s gig was over as soon as the horse he was guarding was either sold or returned to its owner. He no more walked away from the sale to head by to Cincinnati when Tony’s parents asked Eli to find out what happened to their son. Eli was able to hook up with the local sheriff’s department and they started working together. One of their main concerns – why was a hired killer in Lexington when both boys went missing? And why was he now targeting Eli?

The Trojan Colt is the second Eli Paxton Mystery by well-known short science fiction author Mike Resnick following Dog in the Manager. The popular author has crafted an interesting new character with flaws many of us can relate to. There is no lack of action in a Resnick story. His fast-paced stories are well-plotted and realistic.

Resnick has created a down-to-earth, practical detective just trying to make a living, who gets himself in all kinds of situations. The characters are original and in many ways fun to spend time with – at least the good guys and gals. His humor is dispersed freely throughout the serious business of horse breeding and multi-million dollar sales.

This series has become a must-read for anyone interested in a good who-dun-it. Fans of the author will look forward to the next assignment in the life of Eli Paxton.

A special thank you goes to Seventh Street Books for providing us with a complimentary copy of The Trojan Colt for our review. If you are interested in any of Mike Resnick’s books, they are available at Amazon.com.